Money tips

The Salvos Moneycare team hears you and wants to help you discover your happy place these holidays. The following tips can help ease the pressure and make space for what matters most.

Put your concerns in writing

As a first step, we encourage you to download this sheet and write down any pressures that you feel or have felt during the summer holidays – money, time or expectations. Doing this not only helps reduce your mental load but allows you to see your concerns more clearly.

Tips for joy-filled summer holidays  

1. Keep it simple

Resist the temptation to pack out your holidays, leave space in your schedule for relaxing and spending time with loved ones. Work out which activities are helpful and which ones to let go.

2. Limit screen time

Screens can be entertaining, but too much online time can leave us feeling flat. Set reasonable limitations, like a 60-minute limitation on screen time in the morning or no screen use between 9am and 4pm.

3. Socialise

Connect with friends and family members. Arrange outings like a walk in the park, a house visit, or a barbecue — there are so many options in summer!

4. It’s alright to ‘just be’

Don’t feel the need to always be doing things and entertaining yourself — it can be great to just allow time and space for rest! This restful time can also allow for opportunities to explore and be creative.

5. Plan a staycation

Save on travel expenses by enjoying your hometown like a tourist for a day. Research to see any free events or activities in your local area that you can enjoy.

After the holidays...

We recommend taking stock of what brought you joy and recharged you during these holidays, and how you can bring some of those into the upcoming year.

Start thinking and planning for the next one! Research has shown that a large part of the happiness you get out of a holiday is in the anticipation. Now is the time to start setting aside money for the next one!

We hope these suggestions help to turn down the heat on your summer holiday stress. Small changes in mindset and simple habits can make a big difference — not just during the holidays but all year round.